Dispensing-stopper.



- tage being present even in cases where the STATES HERBERT G. SCOTT,

0F BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

DISPENSING-STOPPER.

Specification of Letters /Patent Patented April 28, 1908.

Application filed'Jul'y 2, 1907. SerialNo. 381,873.

and more particularly to Stoppers in which the air inlet tube may be closed by the operators finger or otherwise, to arrest .the outflow lof liquid. Prior attempts to make Stoppers for these purposes have been characterized by pulsating irregularit of flow, uncertainty of action, lack of contro of flow by the operators closing the air vent, paucity of flow in proportion to the capacity of the outlet passage, and other'objection's, all of whchit is the object of my invention to overcome. In all prior attempts, moreover, to'control the flow, it is found that liquid is apt to trickle into the air-inlet tube .or passage, and to wet the finger of the user, which is highly objectionable in 4most cases,"especially when the bottle contains ink, or an injurious acid. This fault also it is one of the objects of niy invention to cure.

In carryingout Inyinvention in its preferred form, I effect chan es in both the inner and the outer end of t e air tube or passage. The" outer .end of the air passage I close, so that a column of air filling the diameter of the, tube shall not meet head-on a column of Water 'also filling the tube, which would set up the irregularly pulsing flow that characterized the prior attem ts in this direction. Ins'tead,1 use a smal vent, whereby the air is caused to pass into the air-passage or tube in relatively line bubbles, which pass'l I readil and with great speed (in case of a thin llquid) up through such liquid as may accidentally have triclrled into the air-tube, so that a uniform and steady outflow of liquid is assured. This vent is preferably placed in the side of the air-tube, outside of the stopper, and in that side of the tubewhich comes uppermost when the bottle is tipped to empty the same. The described location of the vent is articularly fortunate, since the air readily slips into ther tube and rises along its u per side, passing over the top of any Water that may bc in the tub-e; this advanvent is relatively large, although a vent of smaller area than the cross-section of the airtube is regarded as preferable. The vent being in the top side of the tube, is readily 6@ closed by the linger of the user, to arrest the flow.

At the inner end of the air-tube l provide a liquid-baffle in the form of abend or spout, directed' towards that side of the bottle 6,5 which has the outflow passage; the end of the .sipout being preferably in line with the outi ow passage, so that if the latter were extended within the bottle, it would meet the end of said spout. The bend is preferably reflex `or backward along the air-tube, and preferably the spout stands at an acute angle to said air tube. At the union of the s out and tube, the shape is preferably suc as would be formed by beveling ofi the spout and 'tube to lit each other, and then Vjolning f the beveled parts; so that a pocket is formed at the joint, of V-shape, an greater 1n general diameter than the tube so as not only to have sucient capacity to l old the remnant of Water that may dribble in through the s out when the bottle is stood up, leaving a c ear airpas`sage' above such remnant, but also to prevent a small drop of water from rising through the air-tu'be after the bottle is 85 stood up. It will be understood that the relatively large pocket at said joint tends to break up or minimize the eiiect of the socalled capillary attraction in the air-tube, so

.that there is no tendencyof a drop of water to rise therein. As illustrated in the .drawings, ,the spout makes a sharp joint with the air tube or passage, which is the preferable construction, although not always necessary. It gives a sufficient length to the spout to enable it to constitute a Water-baille without' making the spout project past the line of: the outflow tube, thereby not only conducing to compactness of structure, but also serving to cause thc drop of water )resent in the pocket or joint to escape therefrom without the necessity of unduly tipping up the bottle at the beginning of the pouring operation.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a bottle equipped with my improved dispensing stopper; Fig. 2 is a side View of thc controlling tube detached; Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section'of 110 the same; Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, l indicates the bottle and 2 the stopper thereof. Through a perforation in seid stopper is passed a dis pensing tube 8, closed lat the outei end by a screw cap 4. lhistube has two conduits, a lower conduit 5, through which the liquid escanes, end an upperv conduit y6, through 'whidhl air is admitted to the interior oi the bottle to take the place of the liquid. The conduits 5, 6,' are spoken of as lower and upper respectively, beceuse they assuine these relative 'positions when the bottle is tilted to vdispense the liquid. The lowerr conduit 5 extends only as ier as the inner end of the sto per, and is, of course, vfreely open at both en( s to permit the liquid to llow therethrough. The upper conduit 6 is separated from the lower conduit 5 by a partition 7. At its outer end it is closed, as shown at S, and et its inner end is extended a considerable dis tance into the interior of the bottle. .in the outer wall ol: the tube, which forins the upper well of the upper conduit (i, near its outer end, is an epi-srture t), i'or admitting air, which aperture is in a convenient location to be closed by the end ol the 'linger ol' the operator when holding the bottle.

lit is found that with this device, the .llow of the liquid can at any tinic be instantaneously arrested, without subsequent dripping of the liquid. by closingI the air inlet aperture 9 Vwith the ringer.

@ne advantage of this position of the air inlet or vent 9 is that the linger can be applied thereto rapidly and conveniently, to stop the entrance of air and arrest the ilow ci. the liquid fioin the bottle, and without danfer of the linger Corning into Contact with the liquid which is flowing out ol' the bottle.

The resent construction possesses another advantage not found in prior devices ot this character, even when no liquid baille is provided upon the inner end of iny sir-inlet tube or passage. Where there is no baille, a certain amount of liquid dribblcs into the air tube, end in prior devices the presence of such liquid therein causes an irregular or ulsating flow iroin the bottle through the iquid passage, the pulsiitions and irregularities increasing in torce with the llow; but with a bottle equipped with an air inlet tube Whose outer end conforms with iuy invention, the llow ol' liquid from. the bottle is substantially uniform and regular, notwithstandingF the presence et liquid in the air tube. v[n.the prior devices, a reciprocating motion of the liquid is set up in the air tube, and such motion increases in intensity, with the result just noted. ln thc lorin or' iny invention in which the air inlet or vent is placed in the side oi' the air-'tube at sonic distance frein the closed outer end thcrcol", the drops of liquid present the air tube can settle .in the since or peclelbetween said vent and seit closed end, and not affect the inllowing air, thus further conducing to uniformity ol outl'low of liquid from the bottle.

Another importantfeature of 'the inven- -tion is the return bend constituting a liquid bailie on the inner end oi thc air-tube or uissage. While, without this return bend or balile, the air tube as described is valuable, still the ballie renders the device still inoi'e perfect, as it almost or entirely prevents the entry of any liquid iioin the bottle into the air tube. The oiitliow of the liquid through the liquid conduit creates a suction at the bent inner end of the air conduit, to draw out therefrom any liquid which might have entered. fit is an advantage that the bend or spout should set baci: sharply at an acute angle, as already explained; as ilE au liquid dribble-.s into thc s )out when the but tie is stood up, none o'f it is likely to travel up into the air conduit 6 oi' out through the vent 9. The'poclzet at the 1`oint ol the spout l() and air tube oi passage 6, referred to in the intri'iductory pa t olf the spccilicuton, is iuaihed lll at Fig. 3, and it will be seen is oi' greater cross-section than either l0 or .tor the purpose speciiicd. The provision of both the air-vent at the closed outer cud of thc air-tube, and the liquid-baille at the in-` ner end thereof, is of great value in the case of large vessels, containing a heavy body oit' liquid.

The operator having placed the end ol his `finger ai jacent to the aperture Q in the air conduit, inverts `the bottle or other receptacle, with said air conduit upperinosh until the liquid runs out through the cud ol` the. liquid passage. lWhenever it is desired to arrest the flow of the liquid, thc o )crater closes the aperture 9 with the end oflhisliii ver, and this iininei'liately arrests the flow; liy removing the finger the llow of the liquid will i'econ'inience. ln this way it is possible to dispense liquid iroin the receptacle will: the greatest exactitude. ll the parts he inside sulliciently smell, the device can he uied as a dro )per and will dispense the liquid drop by (li-op, the finger being)r removed to allow cach drop to escape.

(loinineiciall i considered, it is an important feature o the invention that the two conduits 5, 5, should form parts of e singh tube, for this peiniits of the end of the tube being closed by a single cap. While the dcvice would operate e ually as well if niade of two separate tubes, his would in genersl be an inconvenient construction, for obvious reasons. In certain cases, 'as in laboratory work, it niay be permissible or even preferable, to so ineke the liquid and air conduits in separate tubes, each with a separate cap.

The device` is of special utility for all bot Atlcs freni which it is desired to arrest the flow instantaneously, such ink bottles, those' containinT medicinal licuids from wle-Jh e i iif scriptions are filled, or those used in laboratory Work, also cans, such as oil cans. When of small size, the invention may also be used as a liquid dropper for dispensing remedies and other purposes. i

I claim 1. Adis ensing stopper for liquidrecepta-l cles, provi ed with a tu e havin a longitudinal partition therein, dividing t 1e same into a li uid conduit and an air conduit, the air con uit being closed at its outer end and having a vent in its side.

2. A dispensing `stop er provided with a liquid outlet passage and an air inlet conduit closed'at its outer end, said air conduit being provided with an air-inlet hole formed in the wall thereof.

3. A'dispensing stopper provided with a liquid outlet passage an an air inlet conduit closed at its outer end, said air conduit provided with an alr-inlet ihole formed inf the wall thereof and s aced'nfroin the outer end,

to form a pocket etween the hole and the closed end of the oonduit.

4.' Adispensing stopper provided with a liquid outlet passage and an air inlet conduit closed at its outer end, said conduit rovided with a vent hole formed in the wal thereof, on the `'side of the conduit which is uppermost when the receptacle is canted to dis-- -charge the liquid. 5. A dispensing stopper provided with a liquid outlet-passage and an air inlet conduit the closed outer end of the conduit, to .form4 a pocket between said hole and said end.

7. A dispensing stop er provided with a liquid outlet passage andJ an' airinlet conduit, the latter constructed to extend within the liquid receptacle and bent reilexly .at its inner end to forni a liquid-baffle, and having its outer end closed and provided with a vent.

S. A dispensing stopper provided -With a liquid outlet passage and an alr'inlet conduit in proximity thereto', the alr inletcondult being closed at itsv outer end and having a vent of substantially less area than the inner cross-section of the conduit, and constructed to project-within the receptacle, and havi at its inner end a reflex bend to form aliql'iirgl batile.

9. A dispensing "stopper rovided'with a Icylindrical outlet tube lwit in which lis secured an air inlet tube, -a cap being threaded upon the first tube, the air-inlet tube having a closed end and a vent-hole i'n its side covered by said cap.

passageanf an airinletconduit c osed at its outer end and havingv a vent in its'side-and formed to project within theLreceptacle and having a li uid-baffle at its inner'end; said '10. A dis ensing stopper havin an outletv vent provi( ed inthe side of theconduit,l

which is u' permost whgl the receptacle is canted to y(ischarge the liquid.

11. A-dis ensing stopper having an outlet `assage-an an air inlet conduit, `the latter formed atits inner end witha reiex spout,

and'a pocket bein providedA at the junction of the spout with t 1e tube; said pocket' being substantially 12. A dispensing stopper provided with a liquid `outlet andan air inlet'l conduit in proxiinity thereto, the air inlet conduit closed at its outer end and having a vent in its side and greater in crosssection than* ythe air conduit.

constructed to project within the' receptacle and having a liquid-baffle in theform of an acute reflex bend, the inner end of s'aid'conduit being about in lille with the outtiow passage, and 'a pocket or enlargement being formed at said bend, and said-vent being rovided in the side of the conduit Whic .is

uppermost .when the receptacle iscanted to dlscharge the liquid.

13. A dispensing stopper provided .with a tube having a longitudinal partition therein dividing the same into a liquid outlet passage and an air inlet conduit, a cap being threaded u on the tube, and said conduit having a .c osed end and rovided with avent which is closed by sai cap.

ln testimony 'whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. y

HERBERT G. SCOTT.

AVlitnesses: l

C.,L. HoWE,

D. B. RICHARDS. 

